Canister flush valve

ABSTRACT

A canister flush valve includes a float, an overflow tube and a plurality of adjustment baffles, wherein the hollow cylindrical float is provided with a bottom wall, a plurality of water inlets are defined in the bottom wall, and a top end of the water inlet assumes a tapered form. Moreover, the overflow tube is clamped to the float, a ring plate radially extends from the overflow tube close to the bottom wall, and the overflow tube is provided with a positioning portion. The positioning portion enables the adjustment baffles to be selectively fastened and disposed thereto, thereby enabling changing the distance between the water inlet to the lowest adjustment baffle to vary the flow quantity of flush water flowing into the canister flush valve from the water inlets, and further changing the speed the float sinks in the flush water as well as the speed a valve port closes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a technology of flush toilet watertank, and more particularly to a canister flush valve structure capableof adjusting the amount of flush water used.

2. Description of the Prior Art

According to the current specifications for flush toilets established byeach country, most of the specifications are enacted in the spirit ofwater saving and environmental protection when flushing the toilet bowl,and as far as possible reduce the amount of flush water used each time.Hence, the majority of existing designs for flushing a toilet bowl usemeans such as increasing the intensity of the flush water, as well asshortening the time of each flush in order to be in keeping with thespirit of environmental protection, as well as ensuring that the toiletbowl is flushed cleanly each time. Currently, frequently used designsusually use a flush valve assembly installed in the bottom portion ofthe water tank to execute the flushing process.

The Canister Flush Valve of US patent No. 20070101485A1 discloses asimilar structure. Such kinds of flush valve assembly usually use avalve seat fixedly locked to the bottom portion of the water tank. In anormal state, the flush valve assembly blocks the flow channel allowingpassage from the bottom portion of the water tank to the toilet bowl,thereby enabling the interior of the water tank to form a space capableof storing clean flush water. When a user operates a flush handle, orpresses a flush button, then a canister flush valve on the flush valveassembly is pulled upward, causing it to rise and separate from a valveseat to form a valve port, thereby enabling the flush water within thewater tank to flow towards the toilet bowl to execute the flushingfunction. Moreover, during the latter part of the flushing process,because the water level of the flush water within the water tankcontinuously drops, thus, the canister flush valve is caused to drop,thereby closing the valve port, after which, the water tank isreplenished with water for the next user.

Openings penetrate the bottom portion of the canister flush valve of theaforementioned flush valve assembly, configuration objective of theopenings being: when the valve port is opened, and most of the flushwater has flowed into the toilet bowl, then a small portion of the flushwater can flow into the canister flush valve through the openings,thereby assisting the canister flush valve to sink in the flush water ata faster speed and cause the canister flush valve to close the valveport earlier while the water level of the flush water within the watertank is dropping, thus achieving the objective of reducing the amount offlush water used each time.

In principle, the greater the volume of water flowing into the canisterflush valve, the faster the canister flush valve sinks in the flushwater, and the deeper the canister flush valve sinks, thereby causingthe valve port to close more quickly, and the volume of water will beless for each flushing operation. On the contrary, the smaller thevolume of water flowing into the canister flush valve, the slower thevalve port will close, and the volume of water will be greater for eachflushing operation.

However, the standards established by each country regarding the volumeof water used for each flushing operation of the toilet bowl differ, anda design whereby only the openings are used to allow the flush water toflow into the interior of the canister flush valve to change the volumeof water used in a flush cycle is difficult to satisfy the standardsestablished by all countries. Hence, there is the need to research anddevelop other designs to change the turn-off time of the valve port, andfurther achieve the objective of adjusting and changing the volume ofwater used in a flush cycle.

Moreover, regarding water tanks of different size specifications,because of the differences in volume of water stored within the watertank, and water level heights affecting the time the canister flushvalve closes the valve port, resulting in shortcomings in flexibility ofuse, thus, the prior art is unable to accommodate differentcircumstances to flexibly adjust the turn-off time of the valve port.Hence, there is the need to further design a flush valve assemblystructure able to facilitate adjusting the volume of water used in aflush cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An objective of the present invention lies in providing a canister flushvalve for a water tank, which uses changing and adjusting the distancebetween adjustment baffles and water inlets at a bottom wall to vary theflow quantity of flush water flowing into the canister flush valve, andthereby achieve the effectiveness of adjusting and varying the volume ofwater used in a flush cycle.

In order to achieve the aforementioned objective, a canister flush valveof the present invention is assembled from a float (outer cylinder), anoverflow tube (inner cylinder) and at least one adjustment baffle. Thefloat assumes a hollow cylindrical form, the bottom portion of which isprovided with a bottom wall. A plurality of water inlets are defined inthe bottom wall, and a top end of each of the water inlets assumes atapered form. Moreover, the overflow tube is clamped to the float usinga detached way, and the overflow tube is provided with a positioningportion close to a section at the bottom wall. The positioning portionenables the adjustment baffles to be selectively fastened and disposedthereto, thereby enabling changing the distance between each of thewater inlets to the adjustment baffles or the lowest adjustment baffle.

Changing the distance between each of the water inlets to the lowestadjustment plate enables varying the rate of inflow of flush waterentering from the water inlets, and further changes the speed the floatsinks in the flush water and the speed the valve port closes, therebyenabling adjustment of the amount of flush water used. Accordingly, thepresent invention is able to achieve fulfilling the water use standardsof different countries, and is applicable for use with water tankshaving various different size specifications.

Furthermore, because the canister flush valve of the present inventioncan effectively adjust the amount of flush water used, thus, the waterlevel within the water tank can be raised, and raising of the waterlevel is used to increase the height difference between the valve portand the water level, thereby enabling increasing the impulsive force ofthe flush water flushing a toilet bowl, and further achievingimprovement in flushing effectiveness.

To enable a further understanding of the objectives and thetechnological methods of the invention herein, a brief description ofthe drawings is provided below followed by a detailed description of thepreferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a flush valve assembly.

FIG. 2 is an assembled sectional view showing the installed state of theflush valve assembly.

FIG. 3 is a partial perspective sectional structural schematic view of acanister flush valve of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional structural schematic view of the canister flushvalve of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional schematic view showing assembly of a float and anoverflow tube of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional structural schematic view of a fin, a protrusionand a clamp piece according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an operational schematic view of a valve port formed afterpulling up the float.

FIG. 8A is a structural schematic view of the present invention notinstalled with adjustment baffles plates.

FIG. 8B is a structural schematic view of the present inventioninstalled with two strips of adjustment baffles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring first to FIGS. 1 to 6, which show a structural view of apreferred embodiment showing a canister flush valve structure for awater tank of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 is an explodedperspective view of a flush valve assembly; FIG. 2 is an assembledsectional view showing the state after the flush valve assembly isinstalled to a bottom wall of a water tank; FIG. 3 is a partialperspective sectional structural schematic view of the canister flushvalve of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a sectional structuralschematic view of the canister flush valve of the present invention;FIG. 5 is an assembled sectional schematic view showing a float (outercylinder) and an overflow tube (inner cylinder) of the presentinvention; FIG. 6 is a sectional structural schematic view showing afin, a protrusion and a clamp piece according to the present invention.

The flush valve assembly is fixedly installed in an installation hole 41of a bottom wall 40 of a common water tank (as shown in FIG. 2), whereinthe flush valve assembly is assembled from a valve seat 10 and acanister flush valve 2, the canister flush valve 2 being assembled froma float (outer cylinder) 20, an overflow tube (inner cylinder) 30 and atleast one adjustment baffle 35.

The valve seat 10 assumes a cylindrical-like form, and is provided witha longitudinal opening 11, and a bracing 12 extends within thelongitudinal opening 11. The bracing 12 of the embodiment assumes across-like form, and a guide post 13 is fixedly located on the bracing12. In addition, a flange (clamping plate) 14 radially extends from thevalve seat 10 close to the upper edge thereof, and the valve seat 10 isconfigured with a section of external thread 15 on an outer edge belowthe flange 14 and the section of external thread 15 is used to passthrough the installation hole 41 of the bottom wall 40 of the watertank. Furthermore, a waterstop gasket 16 is mounted on the outer edgebelow the flange 14 of the valve seat 10, and the valve seat 10 isscrewed tight to a retaining member 17 using the external thread 15traversing the installation hole 41 of the water tank. Moreover, thevalve seat 10 is fixedly locked to the bottom wall 40 of the water tank,and the upper mounted waterstop gasket 16 is tightly clamped between thebottom wall surface of the flange 14 and the corresponding bottom wall40 of the water tank.

The valve seat 10 laterally connects to a through-connection member 18,and an overflow pipe 19 is uprightly disposed on the through-connectionmember 18, thereby enabling the overflow pipe 19 to afford passage tothe longitudinal opening 11 through the through-connection member 18.

The float 20 assumes a cylindrical form, and is provided with aring-shaped bottom wall 21, and a float wall 22 upwardly extends fromthe outer side of the bottom wall 21. The center of the bottom wall 21is provided with an aperture 23, which enables the guide post 13 to passtherethrough. A plurality of openings 24 are equally spaced in thebottom wall 21, and a raised tube 25 upwardly extends from the bottomwall 21 corresponding with the periphery of each of the openings 24,thereby enabling the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 to form awater inlet 251. Moreover, a raised arc portion 252 is formed on theinner edge of each of the raised tubes 25 at the area of the water inlet251, thereby enabling the water inlet 251 to form an upwardly taperedshape, as shown in FIG. 4.

A waterstop gasket 26 is nested in the float 20 at the area of thebottom end of the float wall 22 to enable a normal mutual tight fittingwith the top edge of the longitudinal opening 11 of the valve seat 10.Furthermore, a tab 27 extends from the peripheral wall of the float wall22, and the tab 27 is provided with a hole 271, which enables connectingto a chain or a lever (not shown in the drawings) for the purpose ofoperational use.

The overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, and the overflowtube 30 is provided with a cylindrical shaped overflow tube wall 31. Theinternal diameter of the overflow tube wall 31 matches that of theaperture 23, and the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31 is disposedtight against the aforementioned bottom wall 21, thereby enabling aholding chamber D for containing flush water to be formed between theoverflow tube wall 31, the bottom wall 21, and the float wall 22.

The overflow tube wall 31 is provided with a positioning portion closeto a section of the bottom wall 21, and the positioning portioncomprises a ring plate 32 and a clamping section 311. The ring plate 32radially extends from the overflow tube wall 31 at an area at a distancefrom the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31, and the clampingsection 311 extends from the bottom end of the overflow tube wall 31 tothe bottom edge area of the ring plate 32. The clamping section 311enables a different number and/or different thicknesses of adjustmentbaffles 35 to be mounted and fixedly positioned thereon. Each of theadjustment baffles 35 equally assumes a ring form, and effect a coveringabove each of the water inlets 251. Accordingly, when the overflow tube30 is disposed within the float 20, then the distance between each ofthe adjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge ofthe raised pipe 25 can be adjusted and changed.

In actual practice, apart from changing the number and thickness of theadjustment baffles 35 to adjust and change the distance between theadjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge of theraised pipe 25, means can also be adopted whereby the adjustment baffles35 can be fixed at different height positions on the clamping section311 to achieve adjusting and changing the distance between theadjustment baffles 35 and the water inlets 251 at the top edge of theraised pipe 25.

Three fins 33 extend equally spaced from the outer edge of the overflowtube wall 31, and the three fins 33 are connected to the ring plate 32.Moreover, the outer edges of the three fins 33 match up with the innersurface of the float wall 22 of the float 20, thereby enabling theoverflow tube 30 to be radially located within the float 20.Furthermore, the external diameter of the ring plate 32 is smaller thanthe internal diameter of the float wall 22, thus providing a gap betweenthe ring plate 32 and the float wall 22 enabling the circulation ofwater. Protrusions 321 respectively radially extend from the areas wherethe ring plate 32 adjoins each of the fins 33, and clamp pieces 28respectively radially extend from the inner edge of the float wall 22corresponding to each of the protrusions 321, as shown in FIG. 5 andFIG. 6. The bottom edge of each of the clamp pieces 28 corresponding toone side of each of the protrusions 321 assumes an arc form, and thefront edge of each of the protrusions 321 also assumes an arc form,thereby enabling each of the protrusions 321 to be guided to enter thebottom surface of each of the clamp pieces 28. Moreover, the bottom endof the overflow tube wall 31 is disposed tight against the bottom wall21, thereby axially locating the overflow tube 30 within the float 20,and further insertedly clamping the overflow tube 30 to the float 20.

Furthermore, a plurality of drain openings 34 are spaced in the bottomend of the overflow tube wall 31, thus, when the overflow tube 30 isdisposed within the float 20, passages are formed between the overflowtube wall 31 and the bottom wall 21 for water to flow out.

And after the overflow tube 30 is disposed within the float 20, then theoverflow tube wall 31 is mounted on the guide post 13, and the inneredge of the overflow tube 30 is appropriately guided and positioned bythe guide post 13.

Referring to FIG. 7, which shows an operational schematic view depictingthe float of the present invention separated from the top edge of thelongitudinal opening of the valve seat and forming a valve port after anupward force has been applied to pull the float upward. When a userpulls a flush handle, or presses a flush button, then the float 20 isupwardly pulled by means of a chain or a lever to cause the waterstopgasket 26 at the bottom portion of the float 20 to separate from the topedge of the longitudinal opening 11 of the valve seat 10 and form thevalve port 29. Accordingly, the originally clean flush water storedwithin the water tank is able to flow down into the toilet bowl forflushing use through the valve port 29 and the longitudinal opening 11of the valve seat 10. During the initial stage of pulling up the float20, height of the bottom portion thereof is far lower that the height ofthe water level of the flush water within the water tank, thus, apartfrom most of the flush water flowing towards the valve seat 10 throughthe valve port 29, moreover, a small portion of the flush water willpass through each of the openings 24 at the bottom portion of the float20 as well as each of the water inlets 251 of the raised tubes 25, andflow into the holding chamber D between the overflow tube wall 31, thebottom wall 21, and the float wall 22.

When the flush water flows into the space of the holding chamber Dthrough each of the water inlets 251, because a suitable distance isprovided between the raised tubes 25 and the ring plate 32 or theadjustment baffles 35, thus, water flowing into the holding chamber Dthrough each of the water inlets 251 will be blocked by the ring plate32 or the adjustment baffles 35, thereby enabling the water tosufficiently follow the raised arc portions 252 and flow all around.Accordingly, speed of the flush water flowing into the holding chamber Dcan be appropriately adjusted, and further enables adjusting the speedthe float 20 sinks in the flush water in the water tank. Furthermore,after the water level of the flush water stored in the holding chamber Dis higher than the ring plate 32, then the ring plate 32 issimultaneously provided with the function to block water flow quicklyentering each of the water inlets 251.

At the same time the water level of the flush water within the watertank drops, then the float 20 is also caused to fall downward until thewater gasket 26 at the bottom portion of the float 20 abuts against thevalve seat 10, that is, the valve port 29 is caused to close, whereuponthe flush water within the water tank no longer flows into the toiletbowl.

After the float 20 closes the valve port 29, then the flush water storedwithin the holding chamber D begins to slowly flow into the toilet bowlthrough the drain openings 34 to replenish the water seal level of thetoilet bowl.

Because the overflow tube wall 31 of the overflow tube 30 of the presentinvention is provided with clamping sections 311 below the ring plate 32which enable positionally mounting a different number and/or differentthicknesses of the adjustment baffles 35, thus, the distance between thewater inlets 251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and thering plate 32 or the adjustment baffles 35 can be changed accordingly,thereby adjusting the flow amount entering the holding chamber D througheach of the water inlets 251.

Referring to FIG. 8A, which shows a state with the adjustment baffles 35not yet installed, at which time the distance between the water inlet251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and the ring plate 32is the largest, that is, obstruction to the flow entering the holdingchamber D through each of the water inlets 251 is the smallest. Undersuch a state, the flow entering the holding chamber D through each ofthe water inlets 251 is the largest. Accordingly, during the flushingprocess, the speed the float sinks in the flush water is the fastest,and also the valve port will be closed earlier, thereby reducing theamount of flush water used.

Referring to FIG. 8B, which shows the state after installing two stripsof adjustment baffles 35, at which time the distance between the waterinlet 251 at the top edge of each of the raised tubes 25 and theadjustment baffles 35 has become very small, that is, obstruction to theflow entering the holding chamber D through each of the water inlets 251is increased. Under such a state, the flow entering the holding chamberD through each of the water inlets 251 becomes small. Accordingly,during the flushing process, the speed the float sinks in the flushwater becomes slow, and also the valve port will be closed at acomparatively later time, thereby increasing the amount of flush waterused.

Comparing FIGS. 8A and 8B with FIG. 4, it can be known that installingdifferent numbers of the adjustment baffles 35 changes the speed thefloat 20 sinks in the flush water as well as the speed the valve portcloses, and further regulates the amount of flush water used. It isunderstood that apart from changing the number of adjustment baffles 35,adjustment baffles of different thicknesses could also be fitted (notshown in the drawings) to additionally adjust the space for the amountof flush water used. Accordingly, the present invention is able tosatisfy the standards established by different countries and is able tobe configured and used with various types of water tanks havingdifferent size specifications.

Furthermore, because the structure of the present invention undoubtedlyenables the amount of flush water used to be effectively adjusted, thus,using the toilet water tank of the present invention enables raising theheight of the water level within the water tank, and after raising thewater level, the structure of the present invention can still be used tocontrol the amount of flush water used. In actual fact, raising thewater level can be used to increase the height difference between thevalve port and the water level, thereby enabling increasing theimpulsive force of the flush water flushing the toilet bowl, and furtherachieving the effectiveness to improve the flushing operation.

It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described hereinare merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that awide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilledin the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas set forth in the following claims.

1. A canister flush valve, comprising: a float, said float is of ahollow cylindrical form and is provided with a bottom wall, a pluralityof water inlets are defined in said bottom wall, and a top portion ofeach of the water inlets are of a tapered form; an overflow tube, saidoverflow tube is located in said float using a detached way, and saidoverflow tube is provided with a positioning portion close to a sectionat said bottom wall; and at least one adjustment baffle, said adjustmentbaffles are selectively fastened to said positioning portion of saidoverflow tube, thereby enabling changing the distance between each ofsaid water inlets to said adjustment baffles or the lowest adjustmentbaffles.
 2. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, wherein aplurality of openings are equally spaced in said bottom wall, and araised tube upwardly extends from said bottom wall corresponding withthe periphery of each of said openings, thereby enabling the top edge ofeach of said raised tubes to form said water inlet, moreover, a raisedarc portion is formed on the inner edge of each of said raised tubes atthe area of said water inlet, thereby enabling said water inlet to formsaid tapered form, and a plurality of drain openings are spaced in thebottom end of said overflow tube.
 3. The canister flush valve accordingto claim 1, wherein a float wall upwardly extends from the outer side ofsaid bottom wall, and said overflow tube is provided with a cylindricalshaped overflow tube wall, the bottom end of said overflow tube wall isdisposed tight against said bottom wall, thereby enabling a holdingchamber for containing flush water to be formed between said overflowtube wall, said bottom wall, and said float.
 4. The canister flush valveaccording to claim 3, wherein the center of said bottom wall is providedwith an aperture and the diameter of said aperture matches the internaldiameter of said overflow tube wall.
 5. The canister flush valveaccording to claim 1, wherein a plurality of protrusions radially extendfrom a ring plate, and a plurality of clamp pieces respectively radiallyextend from the inner edge of said float corresponding to each of saidprotrusions, thereby enabling said overflow tube to use said protrusionsto respectively insertedly clamp the bottom surface of each of saidclamp pieces, moreover, the bottom end of said overflow tube is disposedtight against said bottom wall and said overflow tube is axially locatedto said float.
 6. The canister flush valve according to claim 5, whereina bottom edge of each of said clamp pieces corresponding to one side ofeach of said protrusions is of an arc form, and the front edge of eachof said protrusions is of an arc form, thereby enabling each of saidprotrusions to be guided to enter said bottom surface of each of saidclamp pieces.
 7. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, whereinsaid positioning portion comprises a ring plate and a clamping section,said ring plate radially extends from said overflow tube, and saidclamping section extends from the bottom end of said overflow tube wallto the bottom edge area of said ring plate.
 8. The canister flush valveaccording to claim 7, wherein three fins extend equally spaced from saidoverflow tube, and the bottom portion of each of said fins is connectedto said ring plate, moreover, the outer edge of each of said finsmatches up with the inner surface of said float, thereby enabling saidoverflow tube to be radially located within said float, the externaldiameter of said ring plate is smaller than the internal diameter ofsaid float wall, thereby providing a gap between said ring plate andsaid float enabling the circulation of water.
 9. The canister flushvalve according to claim 8, wherein a plurality of protrusionsrespectively radially extend from the areas where said ring plateadjoins each of said fins, and a plurality of clamp pieces respectivelyradially extend from the inner edge of said float corresponding to eachof said protrusions, thereby enabling said overflow tube to insertedlyclamp the bottom surface of each of said clamp pieces using saidprotrusions, and each of said clamp pieces abut against said fins toinsertedly clamp said overflow tube to within said float.
 10. Thecanister flush valve according to claim 9, wherein a bottom edge of eachof said clamp pieces corresponding to one side of each of saidprotrusions is of an arc form, and the front edge of each of saidprotrusions also is of an arc form, thereby enabling each of saidprotrusions to be guided to enter said bottom surface of each of saidclamp pieces.
 11. The canister flush valve according to claim 1, whereineach of said adjustment baffles is provided with different thicknesses.